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Saturday, December 29, 2012

I have made another statement skirt using my TNT straight skirt pattern, McCall's 3830. The fabric is a polyester ribbon mesh from Mood. The name they used to describe the color is Weimaraner, a very appropriate name for this slightly brownish gray (which you can see in some of the closeups. The sun was setting when we took these pictures, casting a warm glow on everything.)

I really love the textural interest of the mesh ribbon roses and that the fabric is thin enough not to add a lot of bulk. After trying all sorts of colors for my underlining, I settled on white. It lets the skirt remain neutral and the roses to really pop. Plus I can pair it with all sorts of colorful tops.

You may recall that I attempted a similar skirt back in August, but was unhappy with the way the sides did not match up perfectly. This time around I paid special attention to matching up the roses along the sides and back seams.

For the waistband, I used the mesh along the selvage that had no roses sewn to it. It was underlined in the same white Ambiance and then interfaced.

Here you can better see the color and the roses along the side seams:

I happened to have a taupe colored invisible zipper in my stash that was just a bit browner then the fabric. Since only the tab shows, I think it blends in pretty well.

I used white ambiance for the lining as well:

I added a floral hem tape to make a neat finish along the inside, then slip-stitched the hem in place. You can also see the white underlining here, which is what the hem was stitched to. The line of white stitching along the bottom edge keeps the mesh and underlining together where it is turned up.

Since this is my TNT skirt pattern, I had no fitting issues and no reason to make a muslin. It was a relatively easy project once I got past the cutting out.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Howdy all! Thanks so much for all your wonderful comments on my latest wardrobe addition. I have been in southern Oregon for the past week, in a tiny little map-dot town that is terribly hard to get to. It's a beautiful place but it rained. the. entire. time. The town is called Brookings. Ever heard of it?

I usually try to answer questions in the comments but, as I was visiting family in that tiny town, I did not have internet nor reliable cell phone service. The horror.

Do the jacket front edges actually come together?

Yes, although there is no fastener in the front to hold them there. I am debating adding some large hooks to keep them closed should I choose to wear it that way.

What is your secret for having clothing that always looks professionally made?

Lots and lots of trial and error. My mother taught me some basic sewing techniques, but the majority of what I do is entirely self taught. If you desire to make garments that look store bought, you've just got to put in the work to learn and expect to make a ton of mistakes. Also a touch of perfectionism doesn't hurt. :)

Did you prewash or pershrink the fabric?

Not this time. I put a full lining in it, so I don't plan to ever wash it in the washing machine. And I've never had a thick cotton like this shrink from steaming it with the iron.